Stars Share Stage In Arvin Brown Tribute At Long Wharf

Stars Share Stage For Tribute

Calling it "a coming together for all of us," Arvin Brown played host to his own "magic party" Monday night, celebrating his 25 years as artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven.

"Brown Goes Silver," which was also a standing-room-only, star-filled benefit for the theater, was tasteful, elegant and emotional.

Brown keep the focus of the evening on the works, not himself. Scenes from seven plays that he directed were presented, most with the original cast members. On a stark stage, just chairs and a table serving as the setting, Brown played the modest master of ceremonies and introduced each scene with affectionate anecdotes. Once the scenes began, he sat nearby on stage on a stool, his hands folded under his chin, enjoying the performances along with the audience.

The stars turned out on stage, as well as in the audience (Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman were there to applaud Brown.) Brown's parents were there as well to see their son honored.

Al Pacino, whom Brown currently is directing in New York, turned out to do two scenes, with Clifton James, from David Mamet's "American Buffalo," which was presented at Long Wharf in the early '80s.

Occasionally reading from scraps of paper for reference, Pacino and James re-created their vernacular-filled roles as con artist Teech and his junkstore owner pal Donnie.

Tom Hulce and Richard Bekins re-created their Long Wharf parts in Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart." Joyce Ebert, who is also Brown's wife of 26 years, gave an impassioned speech from the work, playing a doctor who is fighting for government help early in the AIDS crisis. Also appearing in the scene was Doug Stender, playing a medical official.

Kevin Spacey, Mary Layne and James Naughton performed a playful party scene from Dennis MacIntire's "National Anthems."

Brown announced at the end of the scene that the work by MacIntire, who died two years ago, will be produced by the Shubert Organizatiom off-Broadway next season.

Tony LoBianco and his daughter, actress Nina Landey, appearing

on stage together for the first time, performed a scene from Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge." LoBianco and Charles Cioffi also played a scene together from that play.

Cioffi also performed the last monologue from Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie," the first play Brown directed as Long Wharf's new artistic director.

Geraldine Fitzgerald and Naughton performed a scene from Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into Night," which was the first play Brown ever directed "in my life," he noted.

O'Neill was also represented with Brown's latest production for Long Wharf: "A Touch of the Poet" with Len Cariou and Melissa Leo.

Fred E. Walker, chairman of the theater's trustees, presented Brown with a specially made sculpture.

The evening ended with Frank Langella offering a personal tribute to Brown, who will turn 52 next week.

"Actors needs a place to feel safe and a director to feel safe with," said Langella. "Long Wharf and Arvin made us feel as safe and protected as a newborn baby in his mother's arms," he said as most of the others returned on stage.

Langella, who, at more than six feet tall, towers over Brown, said, "Arvin, in so many ways, you're a much taller man than I.